Machinery



(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 1.

r 0. B. STILWEL-L.

PAPER BAG MACHINERY. No. 417,346. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

witnesses: q a Inventor g zg g (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. Bl STILWELL.

PAPER BAG MAOHINBRY.

No. 417,346. Patented Dec. 1'7, 1889.

WI TN ESSES: INVENTOR we; 2L 2,, MW Q. 5

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 3.

0'. B. STILWELL.

PAPER BAG MAUHINBRY. No. 417,346. Patented Dec. 17, 1889 witnesses: Inventor N. PETERS Phalvuthugmphnr. Wilmington, D.-C.

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 4. 0.. B. STILWELL.

PAPER BAG MACHINERY. No. 417.346. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

witnesses Inventor N. PETERS mwmiwmphun Wishmliun. D. o.

I (No'ModeL) 8 sheets sheet 5. G B STILWELL PAPER BAG MAGHINERY.

Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

I Inventor M g 2/6 616M 6. 84%

witnesses:

Lithographer, Washingtom n.

(No Model) 8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

' 0. B. STILWELL.

PAPER BAG MACHINERY. No. 417,346. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 7.

G. B. STILWELL. PAPER BAG MACHINERY.

Patented Dec. 17, 1889..

Inventor witnesses '(No Model.) 8 Sheets-ShJet 8. G. B. STILWELL.

PAPER BAGMAGHINERY. vN0. 417,346. 7 Patented D60. 17, 1889.

UN ITE-D: STAT Es PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. STILWELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION PAPER BAG MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PAPER-BAG MACH l N ERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,346, dated December 17, 1889.

' Application filed August 2, 1889. $eria1No. 319,550. (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern: r

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. STILWELL, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Paper-Bag Machinery, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to the construction of machinery for making paper bags, and especially to machinery such as is shown and described in my patent, No. 407,794, dated July so, 1889.

My object in devising thepresent improvements is chiefly to improve and increase the efficiency of the said machine.

My invention will be best understood after a description of the drawings, in which it is illustrated, and in describing the said drawings, as well as more particularly in the claims, I will point out the various novel features of the machine. 1

Reference being now had to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a paper-bag machine having my improvements; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a plan View of aportion of the mechanism for forming a bellows-folded tube and severing it into bag blanks; Fig. 4, a side elevation of the same parts; Fig. 5, a cross section" through the former-plates on the line 0c 0a of Fig. 3, showing a part of my new adjustable device for sustaining the former-plates. Fig. 6 is a crosssection on the line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 .is a front view of the mechanism for slitting the bellows-folded tubelongitudinally; Fig. 8,a side view of the same; Fig. 9, aview showing the construction of the knife-blades; Fig. 10, a plan view of the tube after it has been slit; Fig. 11, a section of said tube on the line 2 z of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is aside elevation showing my'new device for forming a slack in the t'ube at the time a blank is cut from it, Fig. 13 showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 14 is a plan View of the roll over which the bag-blank is fed and on and by means of which a portion of the operation of opening the bottom of the blank into the diamond form is carried on, said view showing also the mechanism immediately connected with said roll. Fig. 15 is an end view of .the same; Fig. 16, a view of the roll, showing its central cavity and gripping-finger. Fig. 17 is a central cross-section through the roll; Fig. 18, an end View showing the mechanism for actuating the central gripping-finger of the roll. Fig. 19 is a view in direction about perpendicular to a plane passing through the axes the front end of the machine, showing the aligning-fingers which cause the upper ply of the blank to remain in proper position to receive the distending fingers. Fig. 20 is a perot' the aligning and distending fingers; Fig. 21, a plan view of the aligning-finger and the cam which actuates it Fig. 22 is a front view of the roll I; Fig. 23, a side elevationof the distending apparatus at the end of the machine; Fig. 24:, a perspective view of the end of one of the distending-fingers; Fig. 25, perspective views of the spring and end plate attached to said finger, and Fig. 26 is adetail hereinafter referred to. 1

A is the frame of the machine, the general character ofwhich (the machine) is similar to that shown in my former patent aforesaid, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

In the present application I have not illus-- trated the mechanism for forming the final folds of the bottom,but only that which forms the blanks and opens theirbottoms into what is called the diamond fold.

B is the roll of paper; B,a paste-trough; B the paste-roller; B and B guide-rolls, and C the standard to which the former-plates C C are attached.

0 care guide-fingers; C C guide-rolls work ing with their edges between former-plates C 0 C" is a wedge extending between plates C C and uniting them together.

All the above parts are of well-known construction and need not be particularly described.

To the top of the upper former-plate G I secure aclip C with a slot in its free end, and to the frame A, I secure by a bolt c',passing through a slot therein, a clip C", which'is again secured to the clip C by a bolt 0 passing of shafts I and G Fig. 22, of a portion of spective view illustrating the relative action through the slot in said clip. The function of the two clips is to support'the formerplates and enable them to be adjusted and aligned from time to time, for in making the bellows-sided square-bottomed bags for which my apparatus is especially intended the utmost nicety of alignment is necessary to insure perfect work, and to that end I have devised the adjustable clips 0 and C". Ashort distance back of clip (1 the upper formerplate C terminates, and near its end I form longitudinal slits c a below which are corresponding slits c in the lower plate C, and to revolving shafts l) D, above and below the former, are secured, by means of adjustable holders D knife-blades D.

D D, &c.. represent set-screws for adj usting the knife-holders on the shafts, and I) D, &c., set-screws for adjusting the slotted knife-blades D on the holders. The speed of shafts D D is similar and such that the knife-blades revolve once for every bagblank length working through the slits and c in the former-plates, and the bottom ones being set so as to cut slightlyin advance of those on top, so as to slit the paper, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. This device for cutting the paper forms one of the novel features of the machine.

C C and C G are guide-rolls for heading and aligning the tucked tube, and as they form in themselves no part of the present invention they need not be particularly (lescribed. In front oft-he rolls C I secure upon the lower former Ca plate C (see Figs. 3, 4, and 6,) forming an additional aligningguide, which, eo-acting with the guide-rolls C and C I have found to greatly aid in keeping the tube straight and free from side strains, which would cause it to fold badly in forming the bottom. The tucked sides of the tube pass beneath the edges of this plate and the upper ply over it.

(J U" are feed-rolls, and on the end of the former-plate Cl is a knife E, for cutting the lower side of the tube, while above knife E is another knife E, which acts to cut the sides and top of the tube and complete the severing of the blank.

E is a revolving striker, which eoacts with the knife-blades E E to sever the paper in the usual manner, the striker being attached to a wheel E, set on an oblique shaft E".

In using a striker and stationary knives to sever the blanks it is advantageous to have a slack in the paper against which the striker presses, so that it will be free to bend up on the edges of the knives. My new device for effecting this slack in the paper is shown in Figs. 12 and 13. In the space which intervenes between the knife-edges E E and the rolls G G, which feed the blanks forward, I interpose an arm or arms F, pivoted on a shaft F, and having at their other ends a plate F which should be slightly curved downward, as shown. Upon revolving shafts F and F above and below arms F, I secure hubs F", from which project roll-segments F which, as the shafts revolve, meet and grip the paper, as shown in Fig. 13. The normal line of the web being below the plane on which the segments meet, the tube is raised upon the lower segment, as shown. On the shaft F is secured a cam F which presses against the arms F or an attachment thereto sueh-as the wiper F which,as shown, has a number of faces f, which can be turned up in turn to act on the face of cam F". A spring F, acting on a heel F of arms F, keeps them in contact with the cam F which is so formed and set as to hold the plate F in the position shown in Fig. 12 until after the rollsegments F have gripped the tube, as shown in Fig. 13, when the plate is allowed to rise, as shown, thus forming a slack in the paper just before it is struck by the striker E G and G (see Figs. letto 18, and Fig. 23) are feeding-rolls through which the severed blanks are fed to the mechanism which opens their bottoms. On the lower roll G, or on parts y, secured to the same shaft G are the gripping-fingers g, pivoted at and having cam-rolls g working against cams II, which cause the fingers to clamp the edges of the paper on the rolls and release it at proper times, as described in my former application. In the center of roller G, I form a recess 9, and from its lower part I form a longitudinal perforation to receive a shaft 9, to which a gripping-finger g is attached. The portion of the roll-face on which finger presses is preferably flattened, as shown at The shaft 9 extends beyond the end of roll G and has on its end a crank-like cam-wiper g", the pin g of which rests against a stationary cam II, which, as the roll revolves, causes the shaft g to turn so as to alternately clasp the finger down on the roll and cause it to move up from it. The function of this contrally-located gripping-finger is to clamp the front edge of the bottom ply of the blank against thelowcr roll G and cause it to move down with it (said roll) while the fingers g and distending-fingers L are, with their coacting mechanisms, opening the blank on the plane of the bag-bottom to be formed on it, the lower ply being thus drawn down inside the guide-plate O and delivered to the rolls N N incorrect position.

The use of a central gripping-finger was mentioned and illustrated in my former application as an alternative to the device particularly described and claimed there, but which, as will beseen, is not applicable to my improved machine.

After issuing from between the rolls G G the top ply of the blank is gripped betweelr the roll land the narrow roll J, which last roll is freely journaled and supported on a spring J", its journal J being attached to the spring throughconnections J 2 and J The roller I, which eoacts with roll J, is in my present construct-ion made up of two rims i 2', cut away at i i and fastened to the positively-driven shaft 1 and a loosely-journaled ring 3, of less diameter than the thicker portion of rims i, but of greater diameter than the recessed portions 1). The roll I is set so that when the edge of the blank is presented to it it is gripped between rims 2' and-the narrow roll J and drawn forward to the full extent desired. Then when the upper ply of the paper is drawn backward from roll J the roll I has turned so that the recessed portion 1," of the roll is opposite roll J, and the paper is "thus released from the grip of rims 2', and is held between roll J and the loose ring i so that it meets with only a slight frictional resistance to it backward motion. 7

It will be noticed that in this machine I secure the guide-plate O to the support J which is fastened to spring J This mode of securing the guide-plate I have found to give good results, as giving the plate some power of yielding to under pressure.

The distending-figures L L are, as shown,

- substantially similar in principle to those shown in my former patent. They are secured to tubes L resting on rods L which are secured by a clamp L to a rock-shaft L Springs Z tend to keep the points of the fingers pressed together, and cams H acting on cam-rollers L, attached to fingers L, cause them to diverge at proper intervals, an arm L resting against a cam H (see Fig. 2,) causing the rock-shaft to move to give the necessary upward motion to the fingers. The spring Z is fastened at one end to pin Z on an adj ustable clamp L which is secured to rod L by a set-screw 1 The other end of the spring is attached to tube L (See Fig. 26.)

The special construction shown is novel and an improvement on the arrangement shown in my former patent; and another important improvement in this part of the apparatus consists in making the ends of fingers L elastic, which I accomplish by connectinga steel plate Z with the rigid end of the fingers by a spring, such as is shown at Z, Figs. 24 and 25.

When the machine is running at high speed, it is important that the distending-fingers should strike the corners of the upper ply of the tube as nearly in the spot where the corners of the bag-bottom are to be formed as possible, and to facilitate this I have devised the mechanism shown in Figs. 19 to 21. To the frame of the machine I attach P on which are'secured blocks M and means of set-screws m, by which they can be adjusted and secured. Springs on serve to press the fingers inward, as shown, and wipers on the backs of blocks M bear against cams H which, as shown, are secured to the shaft 1, but which of course could have inclependent connections. The fingers are so placed and the cams H so set that the fingers (which I will hereinafter refer to as aligningfingers) normally rest outside of the path of the blank, but just before the distending-fingers L are operated the aligning-fingers are through which the blanks first pass after having had their bottoms distended into the diamond form,I have found it advantageous not to engage the front end of the blank so as to draw upon it much in front of the first crossfoldin the paper, and I have accordingly recessed the presser-wheel N, as shown at 'n,

and driven this wheel by positive connections,

as shown at at, n, and m the recess of course being so that as to clear that portion of the blank upon which it is not desirable to pull, while at the proper moment the blank is seized between the extended face of roll N and roll N. Roll N is journaled at n in a sliding block W, moving in guides u and impelled forward by a spring 72 a stop 11. being provided which permits the spring to force the extended-periphery of roll N against roll N, but does not permit any contact between the recessed portion of the roll N and roll N.

The operation of my improved machine is, except'in some minor details, the same as de described in my former, patent, granted July 30, 1889. The Web of paper is wound on the roll B, thence passes over roll B and under roll 13, the paste-roller B applying a line of paste to one edge as it passes upward. From roller B the web passes beneath former-plate C and is folded down upon it and tucked between the plates O and O by fingers c and wheels 0 One edge of the paper is folded down on the upper former-plate, passing beneath the clips 0 and 0 while the other pasted edge lies over clip C Any convenient device for pressing the pasted seam may be used. The revolving shafts D and D causethe cutters to revolve once for every bag-blank length of tube passing between them, andthe knives D slit the top and bottom plies of the paper, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The tube then passes between guidewheels 0 C and O O and its upper ply over plate 0 which is of the same breadth as the former-plate C and may be considered, together with the guide-wheels, as a continuation of it, and from the plate 0 it passes with the paper accurately aligned and unstrained to the end of the former C,whereon a knifeblade E is secured, with a blade E secured above it, as shown. Passing by the knifeblades the end of the tube passes beneath the plate F and between the shafts F and F the revolving roll-segments of which grip it and move it forward, in doing so raising the tube above the plane drawn from the knifeblades to the plate. F in its downward position. The cam F then permits the plate F ITO to rise, leaving a slack between the end of v the knives and the gripping-segments, and the striker E then comes in contact with the paper and severs the tube against the knifeedges.

With the exception of the device for supporting the formers, the slitting mechanism, the use of the plate C and the device for forming aslack in the tube the foregoing parts of-the machine are all of a well-known kind. It will be obvious that the particular kind of knives used to coact with the striker in severing the blank is not material, any of the known combinations of one or more knives and a striker being of course equally adapted for use with my device for forming a slack in the tube prior to the action of the striker upon it. It will also be obvious that the plate F may normally lie below the line of the paper between the end of the former and the rolls G G, in which case the segments F may meet on said line instead of above it, as shown, the action in forming a slack being the same when the plate F rises. ered tubes next pass between the rolls G G, the central gripping -finger g grasping its front lower edge and pulling it down as the rolls revolve, while the upper edge passes out over the narrow supporting-roll J and is gripped and drawn forward by the rims 2'. The gripping-fingers g are operated so as to engage the corners of the lower plies of the blank and clamp them against roll G in the line on which the bag-bottom is to be formed, and the cams actuating the rock-shaft L and the fingers L are so set as to cause the said distending-fingers to press upward and outward, so as to engage the opposite corners of the upper plies of the blank and coact with the fingers g in opening the blank out square on the plane of the bag-bottom. Just before the fingers L engage the blank the aligning-fingers M are thrown up, so as to insure the upper corners of the blank being in the plane in which the fingers L are arranged to engage them. This device and the additional device of making the operative ends 'of the distending-fingers elastic greatly illcreases the accuracy of operations. \Vhen the top of the blank has been pushed forward over the roll J for a certain distance, the tucker P-comes down upon it and draws it backward from said roll, and at the point in the motion of the machine where this occurs the recesses z" in rims i cause them to release their grip on the paper, which is then clamped between roll J and the loose sleeve 1?, which permits it to be readily drawn back notwithstanding the continuous motion of shaft I in the opposite direction.

The tucker P and its actuating mechanism is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and does not differ substantially from the similar mechanism described in my former patent. The tucker slides in fixed guides P, fixed adjustably to the frame at P. A link 19 connects the tucker to a lever-arm 19, attached to a shaft 19 said shaft being actuated by a The sevlever-arm p, to which is connected a rod 12,

the end of which rests against an actuating-v cam II". A spring 1) serves to keep'the tucker normally in its uppermostposition. As these parts do not, as aforesaid, differ materially from those described in my former patent, it is not necessary to show them in detail. As the partially-opened blank passes downward, its lower end passes between the rollsNand .N, the recess a in roll N being set so that the end of the blank is not gripped between the rolls until a point is reached just in front of the transverse fold made by tucker P when the blank is gripped and drawn forward between said rolls N and N.

The remaining parts of the machineI have not illustrated, as they form no part of my present invention, and are or may be the same as shown and described in my former patent, upon which my present case is an improvement.

Having now described my invcntion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. In a bag-machine, the combination of the former-plates 0 G with a clip (I secured to the top former-plate, and the supporting-clip C attached to the base of the machine and adjustably connected with clip 0 substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a bag-machine, the combination of the former-plates C 0 with a clip C secured to the top former-plate, and the supporting-clip C adjustably attach ed to the base of the machine and adjustably connected with clip C substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In a bag-machine, the lower former-plate 0, having a shorter upper former-plate C secured over it, in combination with a short supplemental former-plate ('1 attached to the lower plate, and aligningguides situated above the lower former, between the end of plate 0 and plate C all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a bag-machine, the former-plates C C having parallel corresponding slits c c and c 0 formed in them, in combination with revolx'ing slitting-knives secured in pairs on shafts situated above and below the formerplatcs and so arranged as to enter the slits in the plates as they revolve, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a bag-machine, the combination of mechanism for forming a bellows-folded tube, a striker, and one or more knives for severing the tube into bag-blanks, of revolving rollsegments arranged to grasp the tube at intervals, a presser-plate acting 011 the tube between the striker and roll-segments, and cam mechanism, as described, whereby said plate is made to rest on the paper below the contact-plane of the roll-segments before the paper is gripped by them and move upward, leaving a slack in the paper after it is gripped, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a bag-machine having mechanism for folding a bellows-sided tube and severing it into bag-blanks, and rolls G G whereby the blanks are fed to mechanism for opening the bottom of the blanks, the combination of fingers arranged to engage the upper corners of the blank on the line of the bag-bottom to be formed with the under roll G, having fingers acting to engage the lower corners of the blank on the line of the bag-bottom to be formed, and a cent *al gripping-finger g arranged to clamp the advancing lower edge of the blank centrally and draw it down as the roll revolves.

7. In a bag-machine substantially as specified, the combination of a narrow supportingroller J, with a roll I, having recessed rims 2' and a central loosely-journaled ring 8. I11 a bag-machine substantially as specified, the combination, with the distending-fingers L L, of spring-supported terminal plates 1.

' 9. In a bag-machine substantially as speciengage them.

CHARLES E. STILWELL.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS T. CHAMBERS, JOSHUA MATLAoK, Jr. 

